Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a chain conveyor for transporting sheets in a sheet-processing printing press, having chain guide rails which, together with a holder for carrying the guide rails, define an interior having an open long side, and having conveyor chains carrying gripper systems for gripping the sheets, the conveyor chains being guidable by the chain guide rails, being formed by outer tabs and inner tabs joined together swivellably with respect to articulating axes and, on a side thereof, having cover tabs for covering the open long side; as well as a sheet-fed printing press equipped with the chain conveyor.
A chain conveyor of the foregoing general type has become known heretofore from the German Patent 22 46 061. The cover tabs provided therefor are supposed to encapsulate the interior so that it is dustproof and lubricant-proof. The conveyor chain used in this regard is formed by outer tabs and inner tabs swivellably joined together with respect to articulating or pivot axes, and the pivot axes are formed by chain bolts, which are partly in the form of a standard version that is typical in roller chains and partly in the form of a special version. A respective chain bolt made in a special version is lengthened on one side of the chain conveyor. The lengthened portion of the chain bolt carries a bearing bushing and a compression spring, that is braced against the free end of the lengthened portion and presses the bearing bushing in a direction towards the end of the chain bolt distal from the lengthened portion. Each cover tab has two bores, which have a mutual spacing corresponding to multiple divisions of the chain conveyor. Each bearing bushing passes through one of these bores in successive cover tabs and, under the influence of the aforementioned compression spring, each bearing bushing presses against a respective cover tab by a collar formed on the bearing bushing, and presses the cover tab against slide rails mounted on the chain guide rails.
The lengthened chain bolts are disposed at a spacing equivalent to the spacing of the bores, a spacing which extends over multiple divisions of the conveyor chain, and chain bolts of the aforementioned standard type are provided between the lengthened chain bolts.
The heretofore known chain conveyor thus requires a conveyor chain that has been individualized in various respects, not only with regard to how the gripper systems are secured but also as to how the cover tabs are attached.